Swansea City captain Ashley Williams sets Premier League sights high while keeping feet on ground

And the Swans skipper will tell his team-mates to ignore the pundits’ predictions of challenging the Premier League’s big guns in the same way they took no notice of their tips to struggle in seasons past.

And the Swans skipper will tell his team-mates to ignore the pundits’ predictions of challenging the Premier League’s big guns in the same way they took no notice of their tips to struggle in seasons past.

The Swans are used to being among the bookies’ favourites to struggle in recent years, especially since joining the top flight under Brendan Rodgers two years ago.

But successive mid-table finishes on top of impressive recruitment this summer have seen them become the fashionable team to tout as a dark horse threat to the established elite, with one pundit going as far as naming the League Cup holders as an outside bet for the top six.

Wales defender Williams – who has taken over the team captaincy from Garry Monk this year – says there will be a new challenge of meeting increased expectation after their superb first few years in the Premier League.

But the 29-year-old stressed that despite the record spending this summer and the success so far in holding onto star men that hitting the 40 points mark must still be the priority for the Liberty Stadium side.

“We’re facing a different kind of pressure this year,” said Williams. “People have said some good things about us, but I’ve heard some silly things like finishing in the top six so we have to be aware of managing expectations.

“And as a side we’re not going to get involved in what people say, exactly the same as when everyone said we would get relegated. We can’t get bogged down in things like that and we have to just get on with the job at hand.

“And that is making sure the first thing we do is getting to 40 points. We are all excited about the season, things are very positive and we feel we’re in good shape – but we have to remember who we are, what it takes in this league and how hard it is.”

Swansea are still relative rookies at this level but their record with 11th and ninth-placed finishes – including some notable results against the top sides – has seen Swansea considered as a side to stay in the top half.

Laudrup has stressed mid-table is an ideal goal, but Williams added: “The league is so unpredictable – I never would have thought QPR would go down last year or that Villa would struggle.

“And I don’t know how long you have to stay in the Premier League to become an established club but I’m sure it’s not two years. The main thing is staying in the division, getting to that target then see where we can go and try to progress. It will be hard to top last year but that’s the challenge.

“We feel we belong here now as a side and we feel like we are legitimate Premier League players and that will bring a respect which will bring with it a different challenge.

“That’s what we face but we’re excited about it and we believe we are ready for it.”

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